A Story for a Word
by Dark Angel Bakura
Summary: A series of Bakurae-centric One-shots and drabbles, each base on a single word. I will try to update daily, but who knows. Non Yaoi, 3rd person, Rated T for violence. Chapter 35: Festive - 167 words. Ryou's friends interrupt his alone time, but he doesn't seem to mind.
1. Introduction

**A/N: ¡Hola! How has everyone been? Good? Good.**

**Well, I just had a sudden urge to write a bunch of Bakurae one-shots, but didn't have enough inspiration in my own head to do it alone, so I went to DA and got a 100-theme challenge. This series ensued. I'm going to try to do a one-a-day thing, but I don't know how that will work out. Surely I'll have one every other day.**

**Theme 1: Introduction - 338 words **

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Ryou grabbed his head groggily, trying to recognize drunken blurs as shapes and things. Where was he? What was he doing? ...Gakuyuu... he and Ryou had been playing a game... Monster World. Ryou remembered starting, but did they finish?

Ryou groaned as the world slowly shifted into focus. He was sitting in front of his monster world game board. The game master, Zorc, stood triumphantly in the center of his castle's keep. But where was Gakuyuu? He wasn't in the seat across from Ryou.

Ryou got to his feet carefully, ignoring his pounding headache. "Ga-kun?" Ryou's raspy voice called the nickname Gakuyuu insisted Ryou should use. There was no answer. "Ga-kun? Where are you?" Ryou turned in a slow circle, looking for any sign of his best friend. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a familiar figurine.

A half-elf illusionist with flowing turquoise robes and short and wild black hair sat on a previously unused shelf. Ryou picked it up carefully, fingering the intricate embroidery he had painted on his best friend's figurine. Suddenly, he noticed that the figure had been standing on a small square of paper.

Ryou placed the figurine down carefully and picked up the paper. On it was written two words in what looked like his own handwriting, but messier: Turn Left. Fearing what he would find, but unable to resist, Ryou obeyed.

Gakuyuu had fallen off his chair and was now laying unconscious, curled into a fetal position. "Ga-kun!" Ryou cried, running to his best friend's side. "Are you okay?" Ryou's brain whirrled. What happened? Why was Gakuyuu unconscious? He didn't have any bumps on his head. And why had Ryou passed out as well? His head didn't have any bumps either! Why?

"Payment, my little light."

The voice was smooth but harsh, his own but not. "Who are you? What did you do to him? What do you mean by "payment"?!" Ryou stood up, trying to make his wiry physique appear intimidating.

"I am you tenant, my light. And you,... you are my landlord."

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**A/N: YAAAAAAYZ! Ryou meets Bakura! I guess it *is* a little AU-ish, since Ryou technically can't hear Bakura until Ryou touches the Millennium puzzle, but who cares! This is the first thing that came to my head, so there!**

**Read and review please? =w=**


	2. Poison

**A/N: I'm posting a bunch of chapters today because I have a lot of free time, and the upcoming days are going to be busy. So don't *expect* updates, but don't be surprised if they come. This is actually a lot of fun. That, and I'm in a really Bakurae mood.**

**Theme 2: Poison - 108 words**

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Ryou grimaced. Could they not *hear*? Could they not at least *sense* the malicious words that Bakura sent their way? Every other word he spoke around them was deadly, sharp, and filled with bloodlust.

"Excuse me. I really must get going. It's rather late, and I need to finish some homework." Ryou stood up from the park bench he was perched on. He received a few sad expressions, and Yugi even said goodbye. Ryou left.

Back at his house, Bakura spoke deadly words to him, but this time they were gentler and kinder. Ryou grinned. Now he could ignore the fact that the honey was laced with poison.

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**A/N: I don't know, okay? This just... popped out. Sorry it's so short.**

**Read and Review please? =W=**


	3. Abandoned

**A/N: So this one is a bit longer than normal, just to compensate for the shortness of the last chapter.**

**Theme 3 - Abandoned - 941 words**

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"Daddy, when are you coming back?" Ryou curled up in a ball under the covers as the thunder and lightning crashed around the apartment, and rain battered the windows and walls.

Ryou heard a sigh over the other end of the phone. "Ryou..." His father trailed off. Ryou waited for his father to reply when there was a particularly harsh crack of thunder. Ryou couldn't stifle a small squeak of fear as he curled up in and even smaller ball.

"I'll be back soon, little buddy. Just as soon as we finish cataloging a few leftover items. I'll even bring back something special from an Egyptian bazaar!" Ryou's father promised. Ryou perked up until another crack of thunder made him flinch. But he forced a smile and said, "Okay, dad. See you when you get home."

Ryou spent the rest of the night huddled under his covers.

The next month, Ryou found a package waiting outside his door addressed from Egypt. When he opened it with increasing dread, he found a strange pendant surrounded by packing peanuts. He pulled it out to examine the strange necklace when an envelope flitted to the floor. He opened it.

"Dear Ryou,

Sorry my boy, but work has kept me busy, and I can no longer afford to call long-distance. I will have to stay a few more months. Please-.

Ryou crumpled the note up. Everything after the first sentence just sounded like "I don't care about you." "Just live alone for a few more months in a big city. What could possibly go wrong?" And most harshly, "I'm abandoning you."

Ryou crumpled in a ball and sobbed.

"Hey Joey! How have you been lately?" Tristan waved as the blonde-haired boy waltzed up to them. "Good. I nearly failed that science test, but who cares, am I right?" He laced his hands together behind his head and plastered a smirk of self-satisfaction at his own stupidity.

Ryou couldn't believe how carefree Joey looked at getting such a low grade. Ryou would be mortified to even think of nearly failing a test. After all, Bakura made sure he never lived down his failures.

Hey, Bakura! Join the crowd!" Tea called for him to catch up. Without realizing it, Ryou had pulled away from the group of people he called "friends".

He wanted so bad to scream, "My name is Ryou! I like games, autumn, and the color blue, but I'm still terrified of Earthquakes and snakes. I play clarinet, and I'm really good at it! I used to play tennis and basketball and ran cross country. I had a life before this! Please talk to me!"

But instead he laughed at the punchline of a joke he never heard. They weren't his friends. They didn't even know his birthday, his favorite food, what his family looked like. All they knew is that they had to be careful around him.

And you know what? Maybe it was okay. After all, he was abandoned long ago. Why should it change now?

The Ring always came back, and he always came back with the Ring. Maybe that's why Ryou never tried to save the Spirit. He would always come back. Ryou grinned. Finally someone wanted - needed - him, and would crawl back from death time and time again for him.

Ryou slid the ring over his neck and waited for Bakura to return. And waited... And waited... And waited...

Hours became days as he sat in the corner of his room. Ryou waited patiently for Bakura to return. After all, Bakura took some time to come back before. After Battle City, Bakura had taken a whole week to be able to contact Ryou. Surely if he can crawl back from the Shadows that many times, he can crawl out of a crack in the ground.

Days became weeks as he sat in the corner of his room. Ryou waited for Bakura to come back. Had he eaten recently? Ryou shrugged to himself. Did it matter? Had he slept? He didn't think so.

Weeks became months as he sat in the corner of his room. Ryou couldn't wait for Bakura to come back any longer. Bakura wasn't coming back. Ryou had been abandoned by his very soul.

With strange surety, Ryou cleared a spot on the floor. He grabbed a tassel of the Ring and carefully drew the tip across his exposed wrist. Where was a good place to write it? Ah... there. Ryou got to work, perfectly forming each letter so there would be no mistaking his reasons.

Two days later, Ryou's landlord pounded on the door. What was with Ryou? Usually he was very punctual, especially for a teen boy living alone, but he had missed the last three monthly payments.

There was no answer to his knock. The landlord glanced at his watch in confusion. Ryou was always doing homework at 6:00 on Tuesdays. Why was he gone now?

"Ryou! Open this door! If you don't have enough money, we can talk!" The landlord pounded harder.

Pause.

No answer.

The landlord jiggled the knob, but it was locked tight. With a hiss, he fished the master key out of his pocket. "Last chance before I come in, kid!"

Pause.

No answer.

When the landlord opened the door, he was met with and awful stench that nearly made him vomit. His heart started pounding and adrenaline flashed through his system. Something was wrong. REALLY wrong. The landlord picked his way to the living room. The house wasn't messy at all, it was borderline pristine, but the stench was revolting. No one could live in this... filth.

And apparently, no one did.

The landlord stopped in shock and actually *did* throw up. Laying on the ground with blood pooling around his wrists was Ryou. The landlord left so fast he didn't even see the word Ryou had etched so carefully with his blood, a word that would haunt his friends and family:

Abandoned.

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**A/N: Sorry Ryou. *huggles* I really ****_do_**** feel bad for doing that to you.**


	4. Crisis

**A/N: Chapter 4! Finally! This one was undoubtedly the hardest one to write, as you can probably tell by the subject. I'm still not sure about it, but oh well. It's what I wrote in a day. Plus, it was a nice way to get away from Ryou and a little bit more into the slightly psychotic teddy bear!**

_**Yugiohfan101: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like it! I hope you continue to do so!**_

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Chapter 4: Crisis - 404 words

_I'm going to die. That's it. I'm just going to sit here and die._

The words flickered through Ryou's and Bakura's shared mind links, waking Bakura from his meditation. Bakura raised his eyebrows and listened._ This is just awful! How can I fix it? I-I just can't! It's gonna stink, and everyone will laugh at me, and I'm gonna die._

Bakura rolled his eyes and adjusted his consciousness to float beside his haggard Host, sitting at his desk. "And what appears to be the problem, Landlord?" Ryou whirrled on Bakura in his spiritual form. "Oh! It's nothing you need to be concerned with." Ryou turned his back to Bakura and resumed ripping out his hair.

"Au contrair, my little light." Bakura floated over to "sit" on Ryou's desk, folding his arms over his chest. "You thought about dying. Our body is a beautiful thing. Do not think I will not protect it." When Ryou just shrugged, Bakura skidded his hand through Ryou's chest.

Ryou shuddered as the icy feeling slid down his insides. He glared at Bakura. "Is it more bullies? People pretending to be your friend? Shall I send some souls to the Shadow Realm?" Bakura looked meaningfully at the Ring hanging around Ryou's neck.

Ryou glanced up at Bakura with surprise. "No! It's nothing like that. I just... it's nothing." "Nothing doesn't leave you crying pathetically and thinking about death." Bakura pointed out. Ryou shrugged and looked away. Bakura growled and tried searching the boy's mind but only found strong mental barriers.

"Landlord, you try my patience!" Bakura snarled. Ryou flinched slightly and met Bakura's eyes. "Fine. I'll tell you, but don't get mad. ...I don't know what to write." Ryou looked away, flushing slightly.

Bakura stared at Ryou. "Excuse me. What?" He asked, straightening through Ryou's desk. Ryou gestured at the blank sheet of paper Bakura was standing through. "For school," Ryou explained, "We're supposed to write a two-page book report on that book." Ryou pointed at a book thrown down the hallway in frustration. "I just don't know what to write about." Ryou buried his head in his hand with a self-pitying moan.

"And why did you consider this important enough to call me for?" Bakura sighed as he slowly disappeared into the Ring. "Hey. _You're_ the one who came to _me_." Ryou pointed out at the retreating Spirit

Bakura froze for a second, then continued. _Perhaps..._ Bakura thought. _Perhaps._

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**A/N: Well this was slightly more fluffy than usual since the last few have been so depressing. I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	5. Dream

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, play practice has been hell. I've had these written one a day, but I just don't have enough time to post them too. In the meantime, enjoy the Thief King!**

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Chapter 5: Dream - 428 words.

Thief King Bakura opened his eyes groggily. Immediately, he knew something was wrong. Instead of waking up to find the craggy familiarity of the cave he normally dwelt it, he was in a poor but sturdy mud brick house, laying on a scratchy hay mattress.

He shot to his feet, eyes wide and heart pounding. What sorcery was this? Suddenly he caught himself. Panicking would do no good now. Taking deep breaths, the Thief King took stock of his surroundings. It was a simple square room. A few pieces of clothing were scattered across the floor, and some ink-stained papers decorated the crude desk standing against the opposite wall.

"Rise and shine my dear!" An older female voice called before pulling aside the silky curtain over the door and coming in. Bakura gasped as the woman set down a few robes at his feet.

"M-mother?" The Thief King stared at the face of the mother he had lost. His mother turned to face him and smiled. "Yes, my son. And we have you to thank for that." His mother walked to a small window and motioned for him to look.

The whole village of Kul Elna was no longer in ruins, but bustling with people sharing and bartering stolen goods. The Thief King collapsed to his knees. "What...what happened? Am... am I dead?" If this was death, maybe he should have died sooner, perhaps even killed himself.

"You're not dead, silly. You returned the Millennium Items to their resting place. In return for your loyal service, Zorc returned our village to the way it was." In walked his father, strong and kind. "Father..." The Thief King whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

"Come here, our son." His mother and father held their arms wide. Happiness flooding his chest, the Thief King sobbed and flung himself into his family's arms. But before he reached them, he tumbled down into darkness.

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"My lord!" Thief King Bakura woke with a start. The Shadow Ghoul who had woken him, a general with only a slight bit more consciousness and willpower than the average foot soldier, bowed respectfully. "What shall our next move be?" He rasped

"...hm? Oh. Just wait for now." The Thief King waited for the Shadow Ghoul to leave before he flopped on his back and failed to hold back the tears.

"What's wrong, Your Highness? Nightmares?" The darkness in his heart always mocked him. The Thief King shook his head. "Worse... a dream."

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**A/N: Okay, riddle me this: How do I make "Crisis" fluffy and "Dream" depressing? I honestly do not know. **

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	6. Shooting Star

**A/N: Chapter six, nice and late! I hope you all like it! I wrote it in, like, twenty minutes, but it kinda wrote itself. I hope you all enjoy it!**

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Chapter 6: Shooting Star - 340 words.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." Ryou murmured a familiar nursery rhyme buried in his subconscious as he stared at the night sky.

"And what are you doing when you should be sleeping?" Ryou shuddered as Bakura appeared next to him in spiritual form. "I do not want our body collapsing due to fatigue." Ryou shrugged. "Well?" Bakura raised a curious eyebrow.

"Do... do you believe in wishing on a star?" Ryou asked softly. Bakura stared at him. "What are you blabbering on about?" He asked resignedly. "I-it's a human thing. It's a sort of... superstition. Wishing on the first star at night or a shooting star will make your wish come true." Ryou explained, blush creeping over his face.

"That's preposterous! How-" Bakura was interrupted by a squeal from Ryou. Bakura swiveled his head to where Ryou was pointing in the sky. For a millisecond, Bakura saw a flash of white swoop across the sky, and then it was gone.

"That was a shooting star! Make a wish!" Ryou whispered excitedly. Bakura raised an eyebrow, but obliged. "I wish for the Pharaoh to burn in the Shadow Realm." Bakura said with sharp-toothed grin. Ryou shook his head. "If you say it out loud, it won't come true."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "So many rules. It would be simpler to send him there myself." He growled to himself. "But no matter. I /am/ interested in what /you/ wished for, my little light." Ryou shook his head again. "It won't come true if I tell you." He said.

Bakura shrugged and searched Ryou's recent memories. "I... I just want /one/ day of peace and quiet! Please!" Bakura grinned and returned to Ryou's side. "Who knew that you were so simple to grant wishes for? Well, your wish is my command. After all, a tenant does need to pay his landlord."

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**A/N: So this is meant to be nice and fluffy (Poor Ryou deserves a break...), but for some reason the ending seems a bit menacing. Maybe that's just because everything Bakura's says makes you wet your pants... But he's gonna leave Ryou alone for a day, so he's not all bad!**

**Read and Review please? =w=**


	7. Mist

**A/N: FINALLY ON TIME! So this one is exactly 100 words. I didn't try to do that, it just kinda happened. **

**This takes place pre-duelist kingdom in the anime version. You can probably figure it out from there.**

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Chapter 7: Mist - 100 words.

Ryou shivered as the wet coolness of the mist penetrated his cream-colored. Why had Bakura decided to force Ryou to a cold cruise ship to go to a half-abandoned island to play Duel Monsters? That spirit had the strangest whims sometimes.

"Strange whims, hm?" Bakura appeared next to Ryou, his spiritual form nearly blending into the white mist. "My whims are perfectly logical, if you really think about it. Or do want to keep pretending that you don't know so you can feign innocence?"

Ryou walked towards the ship's main deck as Bakura faded into the mist.

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**A/N: You know what I realized? I'm supposed to get inspiration from these prompts, not force myself to make the prompts and stories match. So from now on, I am going to think of a story and then write it.**

**Read and review please? =w=**

**p.s. As an apology, I'll try to have another chapter up later. It will be inspired by the word "Helpless", and it's about Thief King Bakura as a little boy. But it might not happen.**


	8. Helpless

**A/N: In this fic, I'm using the name "Akiefa" for the young Thief King, since he probably wasn't Thief King at age 8. This is a bit disturbed, lots of talk of blood and dismembered body parts. It's not too bad, but it's there.**

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Akiefa huddled in a bundle as heavy footsteps fell down the earners had been taken in the first wave, his sister in the third. This one was the eighth soldier to come down this hallway. Where was the Pharaoh's army? They were supposed to help everyone. Akiefa opened the chest's lid a milimeter and peered out. The soldier walking down his hallway was dressed simply in cream and gold, carrying a spear embossed with the royal seal. A soldier!

Akiefa gave a yell and shot out of his hiding place. Grabbing the man's leg, he started sobbing uncontrolably.

"Please help my mommy and daddy and sister! Some bad men took them! Please, help them!" The man took no notice of the boy at his feet. Akiefa looked up uncertainly. "Please help me!" He begged. "I'll do anything, just please bring my family back!"

"Sohaken. Any more stragglers?" A second, older man asked, walking up the the man Akiefa was attached to. The man, Sohaken, shook his head. "I think we got them all in the last few sweeps." He said, snapping to attention. Akiefa stared uncomprehendingly at the two men. Was no one going to mention the sobbing little boy around Sohaken's ankle?

"Then let's get to the cavern. Master Akhenaden will be waiting." The older soldier motioned for Sohaken to follow him. Sohaken obeyed, walking with Akiefa sitting on his foot as if it was nothing. Akiefa felt a tingle in the pit of his stomach. This was not normal.

He was carried down his street towards the town square and down a long staircase leading into some long-abandoned temple that had turned into a storage place for loot that no one wanted or needed.

It wasn't abandoned now.

The Pharaoh's army was standing in loose ranks, chatting with each other anxiously, shifting from foot to foot, and casting wary glances on the people shackeled in the corner.

Akiefa gave a little shout as he hurried over to his friends and family, chained like slaves. "What happened? Why are you all in chains?" Akiefa tugged at the chains, but no one moves. Tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes. "Why can't you see me?"

His attention was drawn away as he noticed a sudden hush befalling the soldiers behind him. Akiefa whirlled on them to find them staring at a point about five feet above his head. Akiefa turned to look. "Let the creation of the Millennium Items commence!" A richly dressed man boomed, arms flung wide.

Akiefa would later refer to it as "The Killing".

Blood darkened the sand as the villagers were massacred. The first few seconds were calm and quiet: no one knew what to expect. But once they knew, they fought, and fought *hard*. That only made it harder to watch.

Disembodied arms, ears, noses, and heads littered the ground as his people fought for their lives, all in vain. He saw his sister, his precious Kakra crying for a mother who just died. Kakra died too.

He couldn't watch the senseless slaughter of his people anymore. He turned and ran. He ran as fast and as far as he could. Running so fast and so far, he didn't know where he was. Nor did he notice what was ahead of him. His foot closed on empty air, and he fell into the cliff he never saw, striking the right side of his face against something sharp and hard. He felt a moment of sticky pain, and then nothing.

Shadow hands of the Dark One caught the falling Child before he hit the ground. "Grow, my little darkness. Grow and consume the child, give him the fate I set aside for him!"

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A few days later, Akiefa woke up to a dull feeling in the right side of his face. He touched it gently with his fingertips. His face was loosely wrapped in cotton bandages. "You can take them off if you want." A husky voice said. Akiefa whirrled around suddenly. A dark-cloaked man sat in the back of the cave. "I healed your wound as much as I could, but you'll always have a scar."

When the boy didn't respond, the Shadow Ghoul continued, "I am an emissary for Zorc, the Dark One. He saw your village being slaughtered and wishes to help. But first you must free him by returning the seven Millennium Items to the place where they were created. You might want to brush up on your thieving skills." The Shadow Ghoul disappeared, but not before leaving the boy with one last question.

"Do you want power or helplessness?" The Shadow Ghoul didn't expect an answer, but wasn't surprised when the boy immediately answered, "Power.".

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**A/N: I didn't like in the English dub how the soldiers were brainwashed. It almost absolved them of their sin. Even as a children's show (Avatar's a good example of a children's show done right) characters can be good and bad. They can have good reasons for doing bad, or bad reasons for doing good. 4Kids oversimplified it a bit too much in my opinion. Though, I also don't think they would kill children. Who knows? Read and review please? =w=**


	9. Obsession

**A/N: So, I'm a bit ahead of schedule. (It's only been 6 days, and I'm on chapter 9. But that's just to pad myself for when I can't update...)**

We're back into Ryou's head for this chapter. Yay! My favorite Bakurae! (I normally don't rhyme all of the time... ;D)

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Theme 9: Obsession - 222 words.

Ryou stared at the Ring in the mirror. He could take it off right now. The spirit was in the Shadow Realm, after all. It would take two seconds, tops. Then his pain would be over. He wouldn't have to deal with the evil god of the Underworld trying to kill his friends. He wouldn't have to be emotionally strong. He could probably even move back with his family. It would be hard saying goodbye to his friends, but if he could be with his mother and father and sister, he would do it. All this could be his if he just took the Ring off.

But the Ring was so beautiful... He could spend hours looking at the way the light bounced off its shimmering surface.

Ryou shook himself out of the stupor he always felt around the Ring. It always tried to weaken his willpower, to make sure he didn't fight back (though he always did). He still had to fight against the way the Ring made him feel: so light, and happy, and apathetic.

He had to fight to care, had to fight every second he was around his friends and Bakura wanted Yami's blood or soul. Sometimes he was strong enough. Often, he was not.

He was fighting a loosing battle. And worse of all, he was losing.

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**A/N: There are some things that I won't go into too much detail with because I'm going to do that later. So I'll just say, Thanks!**

Read and review, please? =w=


	10. I Interrupt This Broadcast

**A/N: Have you noticed that some things have become so fanon that they are canon. Especially where the Bakurae are concerned. I am here to epitomize the phrase: "Be very very careful what you put in that head because you will never, ever get it out."**

Chapter 10: I Interrupt This Broadcast…

Now, first off, this is not a holier-than-thou sort of thing. I only realized many of these things after obsessing over the fandom for a bit more than a year. I have made many of these mistakes in my own (unpublished) fanfics. And please don't feel like I'm yelling at your or mocking at you, and I'm gonna get some haters (hey, at least they're reviews! ;D) , but I'm just kinda exasperated. So, without further ado, 11 Bakurae Mythbusting! In the words of the Nostalgia Critic, "I like to go one step farther."

#1 Ryou is not British. This is very common. Like, in every fic. Even in what I consider the epitome of an outstanding fanfic, _Ryou's Story _by ACE329, many fanficcers show Ryou as originating from England.

Newsflash: He's from Japan. Yup. The way Ryou speaks is considered very polite, which is portrayed as a British accent, which I believe is pretty common in English dubs. But he is completely, 100% Japanese. Or at least it's not portrayed otherwise.

Do fics about Joey show him as originating from New York? Well, I've never really read any, but I'm gonna assume no. The was Joey speaks is very informal and rather rude, which is why 4Kids gave him a New York accent (Love ya, New York).

An arguing point is that

Long story short, Ryou is polite, not British.

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#2: Ryou's mother and Amane are still alive.

Yes. Ryou still has a living family. I don't understand why people don't know this. Maybe because even friggin' Wikipedia believes it. Amane and Ryou's mother are not dead. Not in a car crash or anything else. The reason we never see them is because Ryou moved away to protect them from Bakura. Don't believe me? Look at the original manga series, Chapter 50, page 10 (Volume 6).

I'm uncertain about Ryou's father, however. His mother and sister are mentioned in the letter he writes to his sister "Dear Amane,

How is school? How are you and mother? Your brother started his new school today. I've only been there a little while and on the very first day I made a lot of new friends. They asked if they could come over to my apartment to play some games. I'm really looking forward-" (At this point, Bakura interrupted.)

But where is his father? It's probably safe to assume that his father is elsewhere at the moment, probably on an archeological dig. Though it's possible his lives in Domino City or moved there some times between season 0 and Millennium World, since he's supposed to own the museum…

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#3 Bakura is _NOT_ totally abusive to Ryou all the time.

Sure, Bakura doesn't really think twice about maiming Ryou, he _does_ have to use the body as well, so I don't think he would wound Ryou for pleasure.

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#4 And while on this tangent, Bakura does not have a blood fetish. This idea probably comes back from the panel where Bakura licks Pegasus's bloody Millennium Eye. (Chapter 74, page 16) But licking something non-food related is a common anime-manga trope for showing the villain is evilly happy. (e.g. Licking swords after stabbing the main character) Same with him licking the knife before stabbing himself. It's just to show he's evil. (I'm somehow reminded of Voltaire…_It's so easy when you're eviillllll!_)

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#5 Heck, let's also talk about how Bakura is _not_ a psychotic, mass-murdering cannibal (Okay. "Cannibal" is a bit of a hyperbole…) So, what? He stabbed a hole in his hand, but he had a reason: to keep Ryou from interfering with Monster World. It was evil, but he _is_ evil.

He took out Pegasus's eye, possibly killing him, yes, but he had a reason: to collect seven items.

Show me an instance of Bakura being violent just to be violent, and I will back down. Though, there is that bit where Bakura actually says, "Too bad for you, I am simply a killer." (I'll post the exact location later...). Maybe he meant killer of souls? Or maybe this is all wrong?

But to "teach Ryou a lesson" is not a very strong defense, in my opinion. He would much rather steal his friend's souls to teach him a lesson than kill someone to do that.

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#6 This one's a bit more generally accepted, but I still see people get confused. (And it *can* get kinda confusing.) Bakura is ZORC, not Thief King Bakura. Need proof? Yes? Okay.

First off, in the final RPG, Yami's character is Atem, since Yami _is_ Atem. Bakura's character is Zorc, because Bakura _is_ Zorc. He was only using Thief King and Akhendaden as a means to an end, just like he uses Ryou.

There are sine people who claim that Bakura is the Thief King. Yes, the Thief King _is_ in the Ring, but he's not… conscious, just like how Zorc is in the Puzzle, but not conscious eitherwise. ( Millennium World, Duel 29, page 2)

Exhibit A: When Bakura is floating over the World of Memory, he refers to the Thief King as "he" (Duel 19, page 11), and when Bakura dies the 1st time, Bakura calls the Thief King "you". (Duel 27, page 10-11)

Exhibit B: IN Atem's tomb, Bakura says that the Pharaoh's name is for their behind him because and I quote, "the Thief's Soul in my Ring can sense it." (Duel 46 page 15). If he was the Thief King, or even the Thief King possessed, he would have said, "I can sense it." Or, "My thief's soul can sense it." So…yeah…

Exhibit C: He frigging _says_ it. "That's right… I am Zorc! Zorc Necrophades! (Duel 29 page 4). I think that one's pretty self-explanatory…

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#7: We do not know Ryou's sexual preferences. This one is a little...awkward, but let us press onward! Only Mr. Takashi knows which way "Ryou swings*. Personally, I see him as hetero but uninterested at the moment (seeing as how he has Bakura to deal with), but that is by no means the right nor only way to portray him. So please, don't pretend like you know for sure. Because unless Mr. Takahashi comes out and says it, you can argue either way. I may not accept it, but Mr. Takahashi simply didn't devote enough time to relationships in this show for us to know for sure. Which, of course, leads to #8. 

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#8 Bakura sees Ryou as a means to an end: Possess him, hurt him, or hide when it's needed. Hard-core Tendershipping will never happen. "But DAB, Bakura saved Ryou from getting hurt from Slifer!" "Yes. He also stabbed Ryou through the hand, in the arm, and sealed his friend's and enemies's souls in wooden figurines. It must be true love!" *sarcasm*.

Some people see that moment in the anime where Bakura looks at Ryou before saving him as pity and a sacrifice of love. I saw it as calculating odds of survival and a sacrifice of coincidence.

I suppose you could argue that we never know, since we never see the look on his face, but he doesn't show empathy like that before, and he doesn't show it again. So I feel that sacrifice was more to save his corporeal place on Earth (Ryou) than out of love.

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#9 Ryou is a *really* good duelist. Like, up there with Joey and Kaiba. No, I'm not thinking of Bakura. I mean Ryou. At least in the manga version, he shows remarkable understanding for the game on several occasions: (Duel 13, pg 4, ect (I have more references, I just don't have their exact locations. I'll just have to add that tomorrow.)

And Bakura's skill had to come from somewhere. Yami had the advantage of living when Duel Monsters was made. Zorc was stuck in the Shadow Realm when that happened, so he could only watch from afar.

So let's give him some credit. He could likely have given Yugi a run for his money during Battle City and Duelist Kingdom. He's sorta like Kurama (Yu Yu Hakusho) in and of that he's very clever and a good strategist. That's probably why he enjoys TRPG's...

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#10 Okay, this is a weak point, but I want 11 myths, so here you go. Ryou is not despressed or suicidal. In no point of the manga or anime does Ryou show any signs of depression. Sure, he offers his life to save his friends, but I don't consider that suicide.

You can argue that you never really see him alone, but generally speaking, depressed people are not as happy-go-lucky as Ryou is. Honestly. Google "Ryou Bakura" and find more than, say 5 screencaps of Ryou *not* smiling or happy. If he's allowed to just live his life, he's happy with it.

Which, of course, leads to #11.

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#11 Ryou is really strong.

Not, like, physically. But mentally and emotionally. Seriously. If *you* were constantly being haunted by a malicious god, would *you* be constantly smiling? Didn't think so.

Ryou takes a lot of crap from Bakura, but he puts up a happy face. It takes a lot of strength of heart to hide your inner pain from people you know will understand, so please understand that Ryou is a whining ball of flesh for Bakura to kick around.

Does no one remember season 0? Bakura was about to beat Yami, but Ryou stepped in, sacrificing himself to save people he had known for, like, 1 1/2 days. I mean, *dude*...

And then the fight in episode 13 (which was just a shorter ripoff of the season 0 RPG to introduce Bakura). Bakura was going to use Ryou as the Change of Heart to destroy his friends, but Ryou foiled him by possessing Bakura's monster and letting Yami and his friends to kill him.

Seriously. He's willing to *kill* himself to stop Bakura. That takes a really tough guy.

In my opinion, wheredisyamileavemenow on Tumblr sums it up pretty well: "Possessed by an evil spirit god thing, still nice, gave up life in the first manga for friends, only cried when I could find Yami Yugi with friends. Forgotten in the anime."

Does no one realize what Ryou must deal with? Seriously? Yuugi would snap right in half. Seto would cower in the corner. Malik would die. Joey and Tristan and Tea would burn up.

Well, whatever.

I hope you enjoyed! 

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**A/N: Okay. This was kinda fun! But before you go flaming me, please read this:**

**Write whatever fanfiction your heart desires. If it's a blood-fetishy abusive lover Bakura with a whimpy British orphan Ryou, go ahead. This *is* why it's called fanfiction. Fans made noncannon fiction. I probably won't read it, but if it's well written with a good plot and interesting characters, why shouldn't it exist?**

**This was more to call attention to some things that people didn't know were fanon, not canon. As long as you *know* Ryou's not British, I'm okay with you making him such. As long as you are aware that Thief King Bakura isn't the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, I don't care if you make him as such. In fact, I have an idea for a multichap fic where the Spirit is Thief King, not Zorc.**

**One last thing: There is a Yu-Gi-Oh character guide called "The Gospel of Truth", which offers definitive information on the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom. I do not have it yet. If you do, first, can I have it? Second, please do some fact-checking.**

**Well, that's all for now.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	11. Dream Catcher

**A/N: Sorry this is late. I had a sleepover, and this just did not want to get written. I'm still planning on having Chapter 11 up today, though.**

**But this chapter is inspired by Dream catcher! Of course, this is gonna be a nice and fluffy one, right? **

**...right? I mean...dream catcher... How can that not...?**

**...oh dear...**

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Chapter 10 : Dream catcher - 372 words

Bakura growled. His little Host had been edgier than usual. So much so that the little boy would know he was not alone in his soul. For now, it was better to remain in the shadows, so Bakura disappeared into the boy's unconscious.

Ryou rubbed an eye. Where was he? His six-year-old brain only registered pitch darkness before he started crying. "Mommy!" He screamed, trying to wipe the tears from his face. "Moooommmmmmyyy!"

A light flicked on somewhere above him, and quick footsteps pounded down the stairs. "Ryou! Ryou, honey! What's wrong?" His mother's tired but concerned voice shook him out of his little panic attack,

"Mommy!" He wrapped his arms around his mother's neck as she slowly rubbed her son's back to calm him down. "It's okay honey. You were only sleepwalking again." She said as she stood up, holding Ryou close. "It's okay, honey. Just go back to bed..." She hushed as she lead Ryou back to his room.

She watched over him as he carefully settled himself on the bed, trying to hide his continuing tears. "Wait here a second." She murmered, running to grab something from her room to show it to her son.

It was a small, leather-covered circle, about as big around as Ryou's palm. Inside the circle was a strange-looking net, and feathers and beads hung off strips of leather at regular intervals. "What is it?" He asked curiously, forgetting his fear. "It's called a "dream catcher". It gets rid of nightmares and makes everything all better." She promised with a smile.

Ryou fell asleep cuddling it, so Bakura took over the boy's conscious. This thing was supposed to make things all better, was it? He would just have to change that.

* * *

When Ryou woke up the next day, he saw the dream catcher he was clutching. But something about it was wrong. There was no longer a whole net. Instead, three thin wires connected to form a nearly perfect triangle, and all the leather strips but 5 had been ripped off and discarded.

Ryou dropped it in horror. Had he done this in his sleep? And why'd he do it in the shape of his necklace?

If Ryou had really been paying attention, he would have heard loud, menacing laughter.

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**A/N: WHY CAN'T I MAKE FLUFF? It seems impossible for me. WHY?**

**Maybe chapter 11. It's shaping up to be more fluffy.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	12. Rose

**A/N: Ugh. Life is getting kinda like, "Hey! I exist!" But somehow this got written. Sorry it wasn't up yesterday, I ran out of time. But on the plus side, I think I actually managed cute fluff this time! **

**Takes place a few months post-series.**

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Chapter 11: Rose - 1043 Words

It came again. The single red rose was in her mailbox for the fifth Monday in a row. Serenity sighed. The rose was always accompanied by a visit from Tristan some time that afternoon. While Tristan _was_ a sweetheart, and enjoyable to be around, he wanted her in a way for someone else.

_Ryou…_ Serenity thought of the way he always smiled his cute clumsiness, and the way he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. He was also very attractive. She, on the other hand, was plain and rather tomboyish, usually the damsel in distress. Perhaps Tristan was more in her league after all…

Serenity closed her apartment door with a sigh.

* * *

Ryou growled and smacked himself. She had been _right there_. It had only been luck that she was so focused on the rose that she hadn't seen him scamper behind the closest cover.

Ever since Bakura had disappeared forever, Ryou thought he was free to tell Serenity about his feelings for her. But something (was it Bakura reaching across death to keep Ryou from happiness, or just plain embarrassment?) kept him just a little too nervous to let his feelings out. The way her delicate features glowed, the way she wasn't afraid to get down and dirty, and her perfectly happy demeanor, she was almost too angelic for a man who had sinned as much as he had.

Ryou scowled and shuffled back to his apartment.

* * *

Serenity was in the middle of a good T.V show when there was a knock on her door. "Hey Serenity! IT's me!" Tristan called. Serenity half-forced a smile as she answered the door. "Hello, Tristan!" She said, motioning for him to enter. "Would you like something to drink?" She offered politely. "Just the usual, please." He said as he slipped out of his shoes and walked to the dining room.

They chatted pointlessly for a while on how the other was doing. Serenity listened to answers and questions, replying when necessary. But with each minute ticking past, she felt more and more like she was drowning.

"Excuse me. I'm going to make more tea. Would you like some?" She asked politely, getting to her feet. Tristan shook his head. "I'm fine. In fact, I should probably get going. Goodbye, Serenity!" Tristan said after glancing at his watch. Serenity bit her lip to keep from screaming, "Finally!"

Tristan opened the door and nearly collided with Ryou's fist. "Oh! Sorry –" Ryou stopped mid-knock as he registered Tristan's presence. He smiled. Serenity looked at him. If he wasn't jealous, he must not care for her after all… "Hello Tristan. Hello Serenity." Ryou said with a grin. "I came to say goodbye!"

_What?_

* * *

Ryou rubbed his palms on his jeans nervously. Why was he so afraid to say, "I really like you, but I'm moving. Keep in touch!"? With a sigh, he shifted the bouquet of roses behind his back and took a deep breath. He was about to knock when the door opened, and Tristan nearly crashed into his hand. He started to apologize when he realized_ Tristan_ was in _Serenity's_ apartment.

Something inside of him broke but he hid it with a smile, as usual. Of course Tristan and Serenity were an item. Tristan had been hitting on her ever since they had met, from what Joey had complained. Ryou, on the other hand, only met her once, but he heard many stories from Joey. He doubted she even knew he existed. Well, that made this easier.

Keeping the smile on his face, he said, "Hello Tristan. Hello Serenity. I came to say goodbye!" Serenity gave him a look he couldn't decipher. "What do you mean, Bakura?" Tristan demanded, "And what's behind your back?"

Ryou brought out the bouquet. "I just want to give my friends something to remember me by." He pulled two roses out and handed them to Tristan and Serenity . "But where are you going?" She asked. Was that tone in her voice confusion or curiousity?

Since the Spirit is finally gone, I'm going to move back with my family. My sister is starting high school, so I figured it's time that I go back. Plus, my dad's back from his big trip to Cambodia. I gues things are just working out." He said with a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ryou was about to leave when Serenity's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. "Do you have a phone number? Just to keep in touch." She said quickly. Ryou's eyes widened. Even if it was just as friends, at least they could talk.

Ryou wrote the number on a piece of scrap paper Serenity handed him. "When will you get to your house?" She asked. "The train leaves in half an hour, and it's about 4 hours there." Ryou said, blushing slightly. From what she said, it sounded like she was going to…

"I'll call you then. Is that okay?" She asked quietly, matching blush creeping over her face. "Yes!" Ryou yelled happily. "I mean," He settled himself with a deep breath, turning beet red. "That will be fine."

"And I'm guessing you're gonna visit us once ina while. Or are we going to have to come down there ourselves?" Ryou and Serenity jumped at Tristan interrupting their dialogue.

"Oh, um, Tristan…" Serenity said nervously, playing with a strand of hair. "I…I appreciate you talking to me every week, but I am not interested in you. Sorry." She said, looking down. Tristan stared at her in confusion for a second then burst out laughing.

"Oh, I'm sorry~" He said, clutching his sides. " I'm sorry! It's just… I know. I figured that a while ago." He said with a smile. "Joey just wanted me to keep an eye on you while he's studying abroad." He explained, crossing his arms over his chest. Serenity's eyebrows rose, and her mouth opened in a little "O".

Ryou stared at Tristan, unable to understand why Serenity seemed to be choosing him, and moreover, why Tristan was letting her go. He was about to say something when his watch beeped. "Ak! I gotta go!" He cried, shoving the bouquet of roses in her arms before running to the train station.

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**A/N: I'm not very good at romance (never been in one myself.), so please tell me how I did!**

**Read and review, please? =w= **

**P.s. I'm getting a little uninspired, mostly due to lack of reviews. Seriously. I have nearly 400 views, but only 3 reviews. Please review. And I'm being serious.**

**Sorry for that review-grab...**


	13. Clouds

**A/N: Hiya! Doing a second upload to make up for yesterday's lack of one. I hope you like it!**

**Other than that, Chapter 12! I am writing this while fulfilling my Jekyll and Hyde/Anthony Warlow (AWESOME SINGER) addiction. So if you get the whole Jekyll/Hyde undertones (Which just happens to also be Ryou/Bakura undertones…), that's why. Seriously. Go on youtube and look up "The Confrontation of Ryou and Yami Bakura" It's an AMV with "The Confrontation" from J&H, mixed with Ryou and Bakura. The AMV is pretty good, but the song is jus... GAH! I LOVE!**

**Well, after that schpiel, I present chapter 12!**

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Chapter 12: Clouds - 367 words

Ryou stared at the sky. It was a clear day, without a single cloud in the sky. It was the perfect day to walk to the grocery store.

Ryou smiled and got to work writing down a list of everything he would need to get. Most of the things he could get at the convenience store a block away, but some of the more unusual things (cream puffs, for instance.) could only be bought at the store across town.

The walk there was nice and pleasant. The sun was shining, but wasn't too hot. The wind was gentle but cold, refreshing him with every blow. He almost felt like he was in a dream. Even if it was, he was happy to spend his days living in peace. But of course, Bakura was gone. He would undoubtedly be coming back (He always did), but he was gone for now, so Ryou would live his life to the fullest.

The cashier checking him out gave him a sunny smile and wishes for a good evening, which he returned. Ryou walked out of the store, glancing up. It had gotten rather dark. It would almost be nighttime by the time he got home. He tsked himself and started walking, holding the groceries tightly.

Suddenly, he had a strange feeling in the back of his neck. He slapped a hand to it, but felt nothing. He glanced up and saw the night sky filled with dark clouds. Ryou pursed his lips and started walking faster. Something (or some_one_) bad was coming.

Why was he trying to get away? Bakura always came for him, not matter where he was or what he was doing. But still Ryou started jogging. A steeple rose up in the sky, and Ryou put on a burst of speed. Ryou had never tried going in one of those. Maybe the Spirit couldn't. Ryou tripped over a curb as he dashed towards hopeful safety.

Menacing laughter echoed around him. He ignored it, leaving his groceries behind in his haste.

He burst through the door, panting and heaving. The laughter echoed around him again. Was Bakura inside or outside the church? Was he safe?

Only the laughter answered.

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**A/N: Stopped there because you probably know what happened, and I'm feeling kinda lazy. **

**So, I have been wondering. I try to get these done every day, but they're not particularly good, they're rushed, and probably not as poetic as I'd like to think. So you think I should upload one every other day or so? Every three days? One a week? Please let me know in a review! (Sorry, I guess I just like reviews!)**

**=w= (because it's so cuuuuute!)**


	14. Revenge

**A/N: heh...heh...heh... yeah... This is INCREDIBLY late. School, life, and my own needs (so... Star Trek...) take presidence over my fanfics. I was going to update yesterday, but my friend and I were selebratinh Ryou's birthday and we may or may not have watched David Hasselhoff in Jekyll and Hyde the musical and watched the new YGOTAS episode (Deuces.) and made cake pops and sing "The Confrontation" as Jekyll and Hyde. (I was Jekyll. Rocking the hikari!) **

**So... yeah. Sorry. But I really needed a break from the stress, and thinking of having to write this made me kinda stressed, so I decided, "Screw my story, I have cake pops." But I wrote this today during my lunch period (you're welcome ;D) so I could get it to my loyal followers.**

**_To Linny: Thanks for the review! It reminded me that this story is really overdue for an update. As for the confusion, I'm sorry. It takes a pretty good knowledge of the original series to know this scene from such little description. Basically, Bakura comes back after Battle City, and Ryou runs into a Church, hoping Bakura won't/can't follow him, but it doesn't work. It's a very epic scene, personally._**

**Without further ado, the nest (pitifully short) chapter.**

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Chapter 13: Revenge - 133 words

Thief King Bakura chuckled shallowly as Diabound dispatched the last of the guards guarding the entrance to pharaoh's palace. Crimson red stained his sandals as he trekked bloody footprints deeper into the heart of the palace, his spirit beast protecting him every step of the way.

Long ago, he would be the mediator between his older brother and younger sister, settling disputes that his parents couldn't or wouldn't. His mother had often jokingly called him "Adl". "Justice".

Now he would bring justice to a man who felt so untouchable that he could do anything he wanted with no consequences. Thief King Bakura would let the pharaoh know that just because he ruled the country, he was still subject to the laws of the land and would have to pay for his father's crimes.

* * *

**Again, Sorry for the incredibly long wait. I'll update as regularly as possible, likely once or twice on the weekends. Thanks for your patience!**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	15. Unbreakable

**A/N: A double update since math classs actually managed to bore me with its ease and simplicity. Congrats.**

**By the way, this is REALLY the way I feel now. *Sigh***

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Chapter 14: Unbreakable – 167 words

Bakura growled as his tiny Host start at him impassively, face only barely showing the pain that no doubt was rushing through his body.

He shifted his grip on his host's pathetic Change of Heart body so that he was gripping the boy's arms just above either one of his wrists, stretching his arms painfully Ryou didn't even flinch.

Bakura growled and jerked his hand in a way that snapped Ryou's left arm a few inches below the elbow. Ryou let loose a beautifully chilling scream, loud enough for the body he was inhabiting, but silent enough that none of the boy's neighbors could hear him.

Bakura grinned in satisfaction as Ryou's body heaved with labored breathing and waited the boy to apologize for disobeying his authority and swear his fealty.

But he didn't/ Insteead, the boy looked into Bakura's eyes, pain poorly hidden in them.

Bakura growled. Perhaps physical pain wasn't the best way to get his Host on his side. Perhaps there was another way...

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**A/N: Hey y'all! Just in case you want to see the digital artwork that inspired this here's the link:** otakuyasha. deviantart art/Unbreakable-397970170 (minus the spaces and plus the whole h-t-t-yaddayadda. Stupid anti-spam stuff...)


	16. Insanity

**A/N: Heya! This is my take on why Touzokuou (Thief King) is called Akiefa.**

***bursts out in song* It's Friday, Friday, gonna get down on –**

***gets brutally murdered***

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Chapter 16: Insanity – 610 words

Touzokuou, as he preferred to be called, splashed water on his 11-year old face and stared up at the starry sky. Water lapped around his knees from the oasis. He wondered if he should rest for the night or travel to his friend Akiefa's house. He decided against walking out towards Kul Elna at night. Though many people knew him there, many of the more viscious thieves would see his well-kept clothes and grey-white hair and attack and rob him without a second thought.

Settling comfortably underneath a palm tree, Touzokuou closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come.

_Thhp-thp, thhp-thp, thhp-thp, thhp-thp, thhp-thp_

Touzokuou's eyes snapped open as the ground shook beneath him. Leaping to his feet, he peered around the palm tree. A small army of calvary was cantering out of Kul Elna, dark sploches staining their dust-covered clothes. Touzokuou watched intently as the horses hurries towards the horizon, disappearing in their own clouds of dust.

Touzokuou's heart thundered painfully and adrenaline shot through his body. What had just happened? Looking to make sure the horsemen were out of sight, Touzokuou ran all the way to Kul Elna, nearly two miles away. Screw danger. If those had been raiders, Akiefa could be hurt or dying. Thirty minutes later, he slowed to a walk, realizing he had lost a sandal, and his outfit was ruined. He scoffed at his vanity and broke into a trot before falling headlong over something lying in the sand.

Touzokuou started to scramble to his feet when he noticed that the thing he had tripped over was a human boy about his age. Touzokuou carefully turned him over and gasped, seeing a familiar face covered with blood and sand.

"Akiefa! Touzokuou cried, ripping off his alb and cleaning off his friend's face. There was a horrid gash over his right eyes that was sluggishly oozing out blood. Touzokuou choked back tears as he started dragging Akiefa towards Kul Elna.

Within minutes, Touzokuou had a full bucket of water and was soaking the non-dirty parts of his clothes in it and draping it over his friend's cut.

Suddenly, Akiefa stirred and opened his good eye. "Touzo-kun?" he asked weakly, hand clutching the cloth around his eye. "Akiefa! What happened here?" Touzokuou demanded. Akiefa coughed, shrugging. "The pharaoh's men came and killed everyone. Used dark magic and turned their bodies into gold to make the "Millennium Items"." he said with a quirky look on his face.

"Akiefa?" Touzokuou asked uncertainly. There was no response. "Akiefa!" He yelled shoving his ear against his friend's chest.

There was no sound.

Touzokuou dropped his friend's body in shock. Akiefa was dead. Dead and gone. Sure, there were the palace kids, but Akiefa was soooo much more fun to be around!

And now he was dead.

Touzokuou walked numbly out of Kul Elna, hands gripping the small knife that always hung at his side. Within an hour, he had disappeared from Akiefa's sightless eyes.

Five hours later, a caravan of nomadic rug salesmen came across a young, pale-haired boy laying in an oasis, blood dripping from a cut on the boy's face. The wife of the caravan leader slid off her camel and rushed to the unconscious boy, checking his vitals with the ease that came from years of practice.

"He's alive. If we treat him quickly enough, he will live." She murmured to herself, gathering her medicine bag and running over to treat the boy. Some time during the treatment, the boy's left eye opened and stared straight at her unnervingly. "Hello" She said kindly. "What's your name?"

The little boy blinked slowly.

"Akiefa. My name is Akiefa."

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**A/N: It's only been two days since I updated. Success! As for the reason I was singing "Friday" it was Friday when I started writing, so there!**

** This chapter can probably be interpreted a couple ways:**

**A: Akiefa's death had such a psychological effect on Touzokuou's mind that to cop, it made Touzokuou think that he was Akiefa to prove that Akiefa was alive.**

**B: Touzokuou decided to avenge the Pharaoh and become the person who was best able to do that (Sorta like Suzuku and Zero in Code Geass R2)**

**C: Akiefa's soul possessed Touzokuou and made (or asked) him to complete his justive. **

**Personally, I meant A, since we were learning about mirror neurons in AP Psych and the prompt is "insanity", but I love it when things I write have more than one meaning. **

**Please read and review! =w=**

**P.s. Please tell me how you interpreted this little chappie! I'd love to hear it!**


	17. Disappear

Chapter 17: Disappear - 515 words

**A/N: Not much to say. This was written so long ago that my pre-written A/N is useless.**

* * *

"Just leave me alone!" Ryou screamed to the figure across his soul room, clutching his hands to his head. "Disappear!" He half-sobbed.

Bakura stared at his Host oddly, then sighed."Very well. I *am* overdue for some payment." In the blink of an eye, both Bakura and his Soul Room dissolved into murky blackness. Ryou perked up for a moment, then sighed. Ryou had screamed at his Yami to go away before, but he always came back.

"I meant forever!" Ryou called to the darkness. From all around him, there was a sharp chuckle slowly fading away. "You drive a hard bargain, Landlord." There was a pause before a whisper ruffled the hair by Ryou's ear. "That can be arranged..."

Ryou's eyebrows furrowed as he felt Bakura leave his subconscious. What was this? Ryou tried to grasp any sense of Bakura he could, but there was nothing. It was if he had never been there. Ryou's mind was whirling, throwing posibilities out like chocolate during Valentine's day.

The most likely one sucked the breath out of his lungs. Bakura had likely changed residences and was now probably driving a poor innocent to commit autrocious crimes. In his selfishness, did he condemn someone else to live the life he did? Maybe even one of his friends.

Ryou choked for a few seconds as he tried to remember how to breathe. But it didn't work. Bakura never lied. He told half truths and held his tongue, but never lied.

So Bakura was wither completely gone, or invading someone else's mind. And with his stubbornness, that was next to impossible. Ryou paced in his Soul Room, picking apart different possibilities but always coming back to the idea of Bakura haunting someone else.

Suddenly Ryou felt a cool hand shake his shoulder and he tore his eyes open, taking in the corporeal world in a moment of panic. Ryou's eyes registered the face of Bakura right in front of him, a smirk adorning his face. Ryou gave a yell and scrambled back, heart hammering into overdrive.

"Bakura! What's wrong?" The Spirit's face shifted into Jounouchi's worried one. Ryou slowed his breathing and got shakily to his feet. "Nothing. I..." Ryou caught himself, but then realized the profit his words would bring. "I thought you were someone else."

Ryou stared at everyone's reactions, judging which, if any, were faked or forced. There was an uncomfortable shifting and looking away that usually followed any mention of Ryou's yami, but nothing seemed off... Ryou shrugged and turned away, flinging his knapsack over his shoulder.

Where the heck was Bakura?

* * *

Bakura settled deeper into his Host's unconscious, so deep that even the boy, with his unique, innate mental perception, would not notice him.

Bakura chuckled to himself. Whether he was conscious of it or not, his landlord had used an interesting word. "Kakureko". While it *did* come across the way the boy had meant, it *could* come across as his Landlord telling him to hide or conceal himself.

So he would. Now and forever.

* * *

**A/N: ...Oops. That took a *lot* longer than expected... Well, I tried my hardest and I actually like this one. I planned to have Ryou's POV section shorter and Bakura's shorter, but it didn't turn out that way, did it?**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	18. Shadows

Chapter 18: Shadows - 169 words

**A/N: I wrote this while on the bus to a school-organized retreat. I didn't want to write this for some reason, but I did.**

* * *

Ryou laughed as he stole the ball from his friends and dribbled away, making an easy layup. "What's the score?" Ryou asked with a grin, wiping some sweat off his forehead.

His friend, Gakuyuu, shrugged, jogging up beside him. "I wasn't keeping track." Ryou snorted and shrugged. "Neither did I. Want to play something else?" He asked. Gakuyuu thought for a second and nodded. "What's that game you were talking about? Monster World?"

Ryou's eyes brightened. "Yeah! I even made a figuring for you!" Gakuyuu grinned and followed Ryou into his house. Then Gakuyuu stopped short. "Ryou, what's up with your shadow? Why's it doing that?" Ryou turned and faced his shadow. There was nothing odd about it at all. "Doing what?" Gakuyuu pointed at Ryou's shadow. "Doing _that, _the... you don't see that. Never mind."

Ryou continued on, casting an odd glance at Gakuyuu who was doing his best to avoid looking at Ryou's shadow.

Two hours later, Ryou woke up to find Gakuyuu, unconscious on the floor.

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**A/N: GAKUYUU RETURNS!**

** Yeah, if you just read this and not the first chapter, it might not make too much sense. This is a prequel of sorts to that.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	19. Darkness

Chapter 19 – Darkness

**A/N: This was written in the middle of the retreat during some free time, and I was loving it so much. It was really peaceful, and almost...timeless. We didn't have a ****_lot_**** of free time, but the time we ****_did_**** have was very enjoyable. **

**We were talking about our life story in a small group, and after I shared (It felt like I was talking for****_ever_**** *sweatdrop*), people said that the way I talked drew them in and made what I was saying really interesting. I was so pleased! I hope I ****_write_**** that way...**

* * *

Ryou sighed and turned a page in his book, squinting to make out the words. He gave up and snapped the book shit, flopping back in his bed.

Ryou held up his hand and examined it. It seemed to melt into the darkness despite its pale color.

Suddenly, the door opened. "Ryou! Why are the lights off?" Malik was standing in the open doorway, encircled by light from the hallway. Ryou shifted his head back to stare at Malik. "I didn't want to bother turning on the light." Ryou said nonchalantly.

Malik closed the door and flicked on the lights. Sitting at the foot of the bed, he stared right into Ryou's eyes. "You miss him, don't you?"

After years of hiding pain, Ryou was a master of it. But Malik knew Ryou well enough to see the slight widening of the eyes, the upturn of the brow, and the twitch of his jaw.

"Who, Yuugi? Yeah, but he – " Ryou started. "You know damned well who I'm talking about." Malik hissed. "Newsflash" Your yami is gone; you don't have to be that strong anymore! I'm still not over _my_ yami, but I know that I can be happy now! Why don't you realize that?!"" Malik was panting slightly and gripping the bed sheets with whitish-red fingers.

"He never leaves me." Ryou spat. Malik sat bolt upright. "Is he still there?" He asked, more than a little scared. Ryou laughed shortly. "No. He's gone and dead. But his memory." Ryou shuddered. "_That_ haunts me daily."

Malik was about to speak, but Ryou cu him off. "I know, your memories of you yami haunts you. But you have the peace of mind to know that you can defeat him by yourself, if he comes back. How can I even hope to beat him if Yuugi is in Europe? I didn't even know what my yami was doing since Duelist Kingdom.

Malik sighed. "If this makes it any better, I knew everything my Yami did." Ryou glanced up and was about to ask what was so wrong with that when he realized the extent to which Malik's yami had _killed_ in cold blood. Ryou was lucky that Bakura was the type to steal souls rather than lives, the former of which can be undone.

"Malik, I'm scared of my yami, and I'm afraid of yours." Ryou hugged himself closely, tears trying to slip between his closed eyelids, and him failing to hold them back. "I'm scared that everyone hates me for what my yami did, and I will never remember most of it." Ryou choked up and looked away, wiping tears from his face with the bed sheets.

Suddenly, Malik wrapped his arms around Ryou's shoulders and buried his face in Ryou's hair. Ryou sat in shock as he felt Malik shaking. "I remember their faces. Every last one of them." He sobbed. Ryou clutched Malik's back hard.

"And I always feel like I'm insane for missing him a bit after what he did to me..." Ryou's scars on his hand, arm, and chest twinged a bit as he turned his consciousness to them. Malik hugged him tighter. "I still feel like I have blood on my hands, and I have to show myself that I don't." Ryou started to say something, but it disappeared in racks of sobs.

So they spent hours, huddled together and sobbing.

* * *

** A/N: This one came out of a really emotional activity from the retreat I was on. I didn't realize how emotionally wounded I was and how much I hid it to the point where I didn't realize it.**

** But I think there is something that must be said: I tend to think of Ryou as the one who's like Jekyll and Hyde, but if you really think about it, Hyde was created from Jekyll's hatred and evil. So was Yami Marik. Bakura is just an evil god thing that implants himself in Ryou's mind.**

** Though that's not gonna stop me from making a JH and Bakurae crossover... :D**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	20. Illuminate

Chapter 20 – Illuminate – 209 words

** A/N: Massive spoilers for the end of season 5. Like, major. There will also be spoilers in this A/N, so if you hate spoilers, you can go now...**

** Still there? Good.**

** Okay. I don't remember if Horakhty defeated Zorc in the anime, but she did in the manga, so I'm going off that!**

* * *

Zorc the Dark One screamed as Horakhty's light pierced him like a whole phalanx of spearmen. He could feel himself dissolving into the darkness of the prison he lived in before he was freed by Akhenaden. He swore and clawed against the light that was slowly turning him to dust. He bellowed a lost, earth-rumbling shriek before dissolving in front of Horakhty's sad-looking eyes.

When he opened his eyes, he was back in the Shadow Realm, trapped inside his own palace. But he smiled.

While most people were convinced that this boy "Ryou" was the ancestor of the Thief King who tried to kill the Pharaoh, _he_ knew that defeating himself took more of Horakhty's strength than she let on. Soon after defeating Zorc, she had lost all her powers and lived life as a human.

Many generations later, this boy was a result of the lineage of Horakhty and a priest from the land beyond the desert whose purity of spirit was unparalleled. In this amount of time, Horakhty was regaining her strength, but it was to late.

Zorc sent the part of his soul that resided silently in the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle to the mind of the boy.

He would have to destroy Horakhty's precious little light.

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** A/N: No idea where the whole Horakhty-as-Ryou's ancestor come from. Just...just... yeah.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	21. Dusk

Chapter 21 – Dusk – 151 words

**A/N: I was on a ROLL when I wrote the last few chapters. I woke up at, like, 6:20 and it was about 8:20 when I wrote this. I only stopped writing for a few quick games of Blackjack. (I never won...)**

* * *

Ryou shivered as the temperature of the night sunk with the sun. He wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders, but it wasn't big enough to cover his feet. He supposed he should get another one, the didn't have enough energy to go into the house.

The balcony door opened and closed, "Hey. It you can't bother to get up yourself, at least have enough energy to call for a second blanket before you freeze to death." Malik's voice said from behind him. Ryou didn't even bother to turn around. "I don't need another." He said nonchalantly. "Hm.. Then I guess you won't need this."

Ryou grunted as something soft and heavy hit him in the back of the head, flopping over his face. Ryou pulled it off and over his lap, curling his toes into the fuzzy fabric. "Thanks." He said.

Malik shrugged and left, closing the door behind him.

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**A/N: Heya! I... I don't really know what this is. (Do I ever really know?)**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	22. Dawn

Chapter 22 – Dawn – 100 words

**A/N: This was written on the bus ride back from the retreat. I was actually really sad to leave. They had the most beautiful trail, and I was the only one walking around it, so it felt great!**

* * *

Malik yawned, arching his back and stretching his arms to the ceiling. Running a hand through his hair, he prepared a cup of coffee in the coffeemaker. He realized Ryou would be pissed at him for putting milk in the machine, but he didn't really care at that point.

He slipped onto the balcony to watch the sunrise and was surprised to find a white head lolled to the side of one of the balcony chairs.

Malik shook his awake. When he stared blearily at Malik. Malik smiled. "You should never see a sunset without seeing the next day's sunrise.

* * *

** A/N: Le gasp! A continuation of last chapter!**

** Yeah... They seemed too similar ****_not_**** to do that.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	23. Quest

Chapter 23 – Quest – 295 words

**A/N: People can be awesome sometimes J**

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Ryou watched in horror as his friends fought for their lives against Ryou's body, filled with a spiteful demon. His evil self had tricked them into playing a game that would eventually cost them their sols. No one could stop his yami.

But someone could. Ryou was just a spirit now, ejected from his body. He recalled Bakura thinking of the "Soul Dice". Bakura had sealed a part of his soul inside the dice to make them do his bidding. So could Ryou do the same? He'd just have to make Bakura get a lower number than Yuugi.

Ryou infused himself with the Soul Dice as Bakura dropped it on the table. He just filled the dice with all of his soul, knowing no less would overpower Bakura's piece of soul when Bakura started laughing.

From inside the die, Ryou somehow knew that Bakura had gotten a supercritical. Ryou's heart started pounding. That meant that the only way for him to save his friend's souls was to destroy the die Bakura had used.

So he started cracking the die, fury boiling up at the thought of Bakura trying to kill his friends. Suddenly, he was facing his evil reflection with a disappointed scowl. "I won't let you hurt my friends." Ryou didn't know where he got this sudden surge of inner strength came from. Perhaps this was the last straw. Ryou had barely known Yuugi for a day before Bakura had started stalking the boy.

Bakura's eyebrows shot up at Ryou's sudden appearance but Ryou didn't have time. He could feel himself slipping through the die's cracks. He turned to Yuugi and his friends and smiled, saying good bye for the last time.

He faded into an inky darkness, a peaceful smile across his face.

* * *

**A/N: Yo no sé. This just kinda happens when I am in a stupefied state and have no idea what I'm doing. So... welcome to my subconscious!**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	24. Thrilling

Chapter 24 – Thrilling – 95 words

**A/N: This is the point while writing where I realized, oh, crap, I REALLY need to get back to ffnet... But in my defense, I was/am busy. For one, I got a rapther big part in the school play, and I have a billion hours of homework a night, and marching practice, and at this time I may or may not have gotten addicted to Jekyll in the meantime... sorry 'bout that...**

** But I wrote this in English class. We were talking about commas. Don't worry, I have plenty of time to write. Commas aint that hard.**

* * *

Bakura giggled, smothering the bubbling laughter behind a thin, nearly skeletal hand. A rush of adrenaline flashed through his body, dialating his pupils and hammering his heart into overdrive.

The way he so deftly pulled apart threads of his opponent's soul and embroidered them into an object of his own desigh. It made him feel... god-like, the way he could steal the souls of the living.

Even hours later, when Ryou had become himself, he still felt a strange thrill rush through him when he thought of the periods of time he couldn't remember a thing.

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** A/N: Short little drabble because I need to relieve stress.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	25. Pillar

Chapter 25: Pillar – 193 words.

**A/N: I usually have a rough idea for where to go for each word. Now, NOPE! I'm gonna start at random and stop when I feel like stopping.**

* * *

Ryou hissed as more dirt and sand fell onto his capped head. He brushed it away and motioned for his archeology team to follow him. "Mr. Bakura." A young man tapped his shoulder. "Mary, Jacob, and Yanbin came back. There's some sort of sacrifical chamber off the main one. They found some interesting things there.

Ryou nodded and his team of six doubled back to meet up with a small group who had insisted on exploring a chamber that headed _down_ instead of _up_.

Mary flipped through a small pocketbook and started prattling off dimensions, compositions, and descriptions. Ryou nodded and looked over some of Yanbin's sketches. He had to hand it to the man. If he wasn't an archeologist, he could be a pretty successful artist.

He was about to hand it back when a certain sketch caught his eye. To anyone else's eyes, it would have been angry god number 583. But to Ryou, it was the monster who had haunted his nightmares for years. Even after a;; these decodes, even in the rough sketch quality of the picture, the eyes of Zorc Necrophades burned into his soul.

* * *

** A/N: Yeah. IDK.**

** In other words: 25****th**** chapter! Yayz! (And it was a chapter I had writer's block on. )**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	26. Autumn

Chapter 26: Autumn – 173 words

**A/N: I have a better idea of what to do here, but it's starting to seem like I'm writing the same story over and over.**

* * *

Ryou looked out the window and sighed. English class was taking _far_ too long. The leaves were dancing in the wind that battered the window he was staring at.

"Ryou Bakura!" Ryou snapped to attention and stood up, ignoring the stares and snickers that followed anyone getting caught by the teacher. "Please translate the following sentence into English: Mary prefers playing soccer to playing baseball."

Ryou stumbled his way through the translation with relative ease and sat back down, tuning out the rest of the teacher's lecture. The leaves continued dancing in their own ballet, to their own, unheard tune.

Suddenly, Ryou felt a hand on his shoulder, and he jerked into consciousness, "Hey, c'mon! We only have twenty minutes to see Joey's duel!" Yuugi tugged on Ryou's shoulder and tugged him to his feet and towards the bus stop that would drop them off in front of the building where Joey had cut class to compete in one of the many Kaiba Corp-hosted dueling tournaments (this time with_out_ the Shadow Games.)

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** A/N: Well, that happened. I've been writing non-stop during play practice since it's easier to hide a few pages of looseleaf than a giant Physics book...yeah...**

**Read and review, please?**


	27. Teddy Bear

Chapter 27 – Teddy Bear – 341 words

** A/N: Moar commas in English. What the heck? But I suppose it's good practice. So if I misplace a comma here (activate supah-sexy pharaoh voice) TELL ME! (oh, LK jokes...)**

* * *

Ryou Bakura had always though his stuffed animals came alive when he wasn't looking. It was almost as if they were testing him. So Ryou treated them well. He gave them baths, washed all thirteen of them individually, and treated them like people. He even went so far as to give them food before leaving for school.

When he had gotten back, he saw that part of the food was missing. But then he found that his baby sister, Amane, had eaten it. So he trashed that idea.

He tried to convince his mother to let him set up a few cameras around his room, but she nixed that idea. Ryou had grumbled and begged for a few minutes, but he finally realized that he would have to do the next best thing: stay up all night.

Ryou's mother checked in on him around midnight and found him fast asleep on his desk chair, facing the shelf his stuffed animals were perched on. She sighed at his stubbornness and carried him gently to his bed.

Some time during his pubescent years, he had stopped trying to catch his stuffed animals and had settled for not allowing them to be mutilated by Amane, who was trying to get her hands (and, by extension, her teeth) on anything and everything they could.

Even during college, he held some sort of gut feeling that these animals have some sort of magical spark that made them live. Maybe that was the reason he still kept all of his animals squished into any nook and cranny he could find in his half off the dorm room.

His dorm mate, a rather outgoing junior, wondered about Ryou's attachment to these children's toys, especially his near-obsession with a cuter, more mischievous version of himself. Ryou was constantly stroking its wild hair or playing with a strange necklace around it's neck.

When Ryou's dorm mate asked him why was so into that doll in particular, Ryou replied with a pleasant grin, "It reminds me of someone I really miss."

* * *

**A/N: This...is...fluff?... maybe...? I don't know, but...**

** *sigh* **

** Confession time...**

** This was based on me. I used to (and still sorta do) believe that my dolls and stuffed animals were/are alive.**

** As to why this is, in fourth grade, A.K.A. the time when I was most impressionable, I read a book called "The Doll People". You can guess what that's about. To this day, it remains the ****_only_**** non-school related book I wish I could unread. And not because it was awful. On the contrary, it was really good.**

** But it has literally changed my life. And not in a pleasant way. I might just hate the author...**

** Anyway...**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	28. Snuff

Chapter 28: Snuff – 106 words

**A/N: Moar writing during play practice!**

* * *

Bakura thought of human souls like little flames, flickering and weak, yet with the potential to burn, if one wasn't careful.

And in the beginning, he hadn't been. He had been burned by slovenly mortals who had no business even touching him. He had eventually crushed them, but had learned how to lick his fingers before snuffing the fire, so to speak. He had also learned to keep his true identity s secret until the last second.

But the only flame he could not put out was the strong flame of his little landlord. But in time, even the biggest, brightest fires die when left alone.

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** A/N: Hmmm... This is kind of interesting. I don't know what the heck this is, but I ****_like_**** it!**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	29. Prism

Chapter 29: Prism – 272 words

** A/N: We started reading a book called "The Deerslayer" when I started writing this (Ironically, when I typed this up, I just finished it a few hours before...) But I had to read 550 pages in two weeks. But I did it, and it wasn't as bad as everyone said it was.**

* * *

Ryou yawned widely and pressed the "dismiss" button on his alarm. Another day, another five hundred pounds of homework. Ryou sighed and swung his legs over the edge of his bed, running a hand through his thick, unruly hair. Another yawn racked his body and he raised his legs parallel with the floor, fingers brushing his ankles, relishing the pinny pain in his calves, shoulders, and triceps.

Then he got to his feet, yawning furiously, and shuffling over to the bathroom where his school uniform hung on a peg to remind him to brush his hair. Not even bothering to turn on the lights, he slid into his stiff-necked shirt and plain-looking slacks. Then he sighed and flicked on the lights to make sure his hair was looking _too_ atrocious.

When his eyes fell on the mirror, he gave a terrified shout and flung his fist into the mirror blindly, adrenaline flooding through his body. Ryou heaved a few breaths and calmed himself down. He stared at the eyes of his yami, who was smirking at him through the cracks of the mirror.

He grabbed his back and scrambled to school without even considering breakfast.

* * *

"Ryou!" Yuugi's voice was aghast as Ryou slid his shoes into his shoe locker. Ryou whirled as Yuugi grabbed his right hand, which was red and bloody. "What happened?!" He screeched, pulling Ryou after him. "We have to wash it off! Where's the restroom?" Ryou balked, holding his hand to his chest. "No! It's fine. It doesn't hurt." Yuugi stared at him in confusion. "Are you sure?" Ryou nodded and smiled. "I'm perfectly fine!"

* * *

**A/N: This is shamelessly *ahem* borrowed from Angellust155 on DeviantART. It's the artwork titled "Breathe no more".**


	30. Rescue

Chapter 30: Rescue – 282 words

** A/N: Presenting things in Morality class. Boring? Very much so.**

* * *

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty..." Ryou called in a sing-song, holding his fingers out to a little, hissy, white kitten who was backing away on the slim branch she was perched on. Ryou snapped his hand back as the kitten swiped at him. The kitten took another step back, her back paw closing on empty air. Her other one followed, so she looked like one of those funny "Hang in there!" posters.

But this cat was suspended nearly twenty feet high. Ryou leapt forward and wrapped his hands around the kitten's middle. But in leaping before looking, he had lost his balance and started falling to the ground.

Instinctively, his hand shot out and grabbed the closest branch. He felt a millisecond of relief before pain smashed fram his elbow through his body, and he let go, falling in slow motion.

He smashed into the ground, falling into unconsciousness.

* * *

Ryou woke up in a hospital bed, a massive pain running from the back of his head to his right elbow. A groan escaped his lips before he shut them and closed his eyes so the light didn't spear through his retinas.

"And what the hell did you think you were doing? Risking your life for a useless _kitten_?" Ryou didn't have to open his eyes to know that Bakura was floating over him, arms crossed and disappointed scowl cut over his angular face.

"I don't know..." Ryou croaked. He winced as his parched throat cracked painfully. Ryou swallowed painfully and continued. "She just reminded me of you."

There was an extended silence. Ryou peeled open a curious eyelid, but Bakura was gone without a trace, save for the faintly warm, glowing Millennium Ring.

* * *

**A/N: Is this fluff? I can't really tell anymore.**


	31. Walls

Chapter 31: Walls – 206 Words

**A/N: MOAR PRESENTATIONS!**

**...yeah... I'm bored**

**_To Haven Wood: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you thought it was cute! I kinda tried for that. As to the disturbing chapters, I'm sorry... They just... kinda pop out like that... But thanks again!_**

* * *

Ryou wiped tears from his eyes and slammed his fists into the locked door that kept him in his Soul Room. "You can't keep me here forever!" He yelled at his yami. No doubt Bakura was out there, tricking Ryou's friends into a false sense of security before he stole their souls.

Ryou took a deep breath. This was _his_ Soul Room. He controlled it. Ryou reached out and turned the knob. He smiled as it turned completely in his hand. The door swung open to reveal the dark corridors of his soul.

Ryou started hurrying out the door when he slammed into something hard and solid. An invisible force field was sealing him inside his Soul Room. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that his controlled his Soul Room. Ryou imagined himself stepping through the bubble.

Ryou tried to push through the bubble, but it didn't work. His eyebrows drew together. This was _his_ soul room. He should.

"My naïve little Host." Bakura's chuckle could have been considered warm if it didn't come from a being whose idea of "warm" came from the infernal fires of Hell.

"You can open your door and control your Room, but whatever happens _outside_ is under _my_ control."

* * *

**A/N: Heh... Sorry, Ryou. I feel bad for torturing you like this...**


	32. Beautiful

Chapter 32: Beautiful – 172 words

**A/N: I'm finally updating this darn thing regularly! I hope you guys are happy! I could be watching Star Trek now...**

** But I love you guys, so here!**

* * *

Ryou stood at the front of the class for the third time this year. Maybe this time, he'll be ignored and left alone.

A suppressed "Kyaaah!" from the back row showed him it was not to be. "Class, this is Ryou Bakura. He's a transfer student. Please make him feel welcome." The teacher turned to Ryou with and apologetic grin.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any open seats. But-" "It's fine, sensei. He can have my seat. Ryou whirled to face the speaker, a brunette girl who didn't seem to be Japanese or have an expert grasp on the language. "I was going to the nurse, anyway."

Ryou stared as the girl stalked out of the room. Not angrily, just... confident. The teacher sighed and motioned for Ryou to sit down. Halfway through the lesson, he looked out the window as saw the girl leaving school. She turned back and locked eyes with him. There was an awkward moment before she smiled and left.

Ryou smiled to himself and returned to his work.

* * *

**A/N: Heya! I don't really like this, since I'm trying to create fluff, and I don't really like fluff...**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	33. Tonight

Chapter 33: Tonight – 187 words

**A/N: I have ****_free time_**** in ****_STUDY HALL? _****What is this?! (Even though it's only like, two minutes...) I'm gonna try a dialogue-only thing that's apparently pretty popular, but it's also kinda hard...**

* * *

"It's just one night. Can he really do much damage in one night?"

"It is not the duration of the time that matters. It is the fact that I am giving my landlord a break for disobeying me."

"I don't think staying up late when studying for school should go against your _prescribed bedtime_ for a sixteen-year-old boy living one his own."

"Are you implying that my concern for my Landlord's health-"

"Health, my eye. All these rules are just to assert dominance over a shy and submissive boy who's actually quite kind."

"Have you finally found a friend?"

"Stop with the sarcasm. He's just the only sane person here. And I think he'd like to keep it that way. I know I would."

"I suppose a broken Landlord is quite useless to me. But only for one night, and make sure that he doesn't do anything dangerous."

"Yes, _mother_. We'll be good little boys."

"Sometimes, I wish I could just kill you and take the Rod."

"Well, it'd be "quite useless" to you without me."

"I know that. But I have dreams too."

"Who'da thunk it?"

* * *

**A/N: Hm... I didn't really know where to end this, so if you think it should end sooner or later, let me know and I'll edit it as I see fit. Thanks!**

**P.s: Could you tell who was speaking?**

** Read and review, please? =w=**


	34. Empty

Chapter 34: Empty – 188 words

**A/N: Well, it's the weekend. And it's zooming by super fast. Please stop! I have too much to do!**

* * *

Ryou opened his eyes. Then he processed the fact that someone was coming up behind him silently. He spun around and startled a waitress who was about to shake his shoulder.

Ryou stared at her hard. "What?" He asked, colder than he probably should have. :Sorry sir, but you were sleeping." She replied. Ryou cocked his head. "Is there a rule against sleeping here?" Even he wasn't sure if that was sarcasm or not.

The waitress shifted a bit uncomfortably, but was hiding a small smile. "Well, sir, most teenagers don't go to 24 hour coffee shops with a big pile of books, then order an espresso, all for the purpose of falling asleep." She said wryly.

Ryou stared at her for a second then stifled a laugh. "Fair point. Thanks for waking me up." Ryou rubbed a bit of drool from his textbook and stated taking notes.

About three minutes later, a warm drink was set in front of him. He looked up into the tired eyes of the waitress. She smiled. "It's on the house."

It was the nest cup of coffee he had ever drunk.

* * *

**A/N: STUDYING TOO LATE ONLY HURTS YOU! It's better/healthier to get a good night's sleep before the big test or whatever.**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	35. Festive

Chapter 35: Festive – 167 words

**A/N: Hey, y'all, Halloween's coming up, ain't it? Too bad I won't be able to go trick-or-treat: We have tech rehearsal for play practice from six till nine. Gosh darnit. So all of you reading this, go trick-or-treating. **

** P.s. Spoilers for Star Trek Next Gen season 3 finale.**

* * *

Ryou leaned forward in interest as Picard appeared on the Enterprise's viewscreen, completely Borg-ified.

"I am Locutus of Borg-"

Picard's monotone was cut off as a knock sounded on Ryou's door. He groaned and pressed pause, freezing on Riker's torn face. He shuddered momentarily, having seen that face before on the face of Yuugi.

"Ryou opened the door and found himself facing a burst of colorful kimonos attached to his friends. "Why aren't you dressed yet?" Anzu demanded, shaking her beautiful red, yellow, and pink, silk sleeve.

"What do you mean?" Ryou drew his eyebrows together. "The Lantern Festival started half an hour ago! Hurry up!" Yuugi said. Ryou shook his head.

"I don't like – WAIT!" Ryou dug his feet into the ground as Jounouchi and Honda dragged him to his room, but to no avail. They tossed him in his room. "Either change yourself, or we'll make you. Ryou grinned gratefully and slid into some traditional clothes.

During the festival, he never _once_ thought of Locutus.

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**A/N: Yeah... I don't really know... I gotta go...**

**Read and review, please? =w=**


	36. Melody

Chapter 36: Melody – 124 Words

**A/N: Well, things are speding up in school. We're reading "Common Sense", which is apparently small, yet chock-full of stuff, completely opposite from Deerslayer. **

** Also, during the month of November, this will only be updating once a wek, since Nanowrimo is that month.**

* * *

Ryou took a deep breath, carefully watching the band director as he counted off the beats before the song. There was a soft intake of breathe from the low brass section started playing soft, low notes.

The band director motioned to the clarinet section, and they entered with slowly fading quarter notes. From the dying clarinet sound, Ryou started his solo, buoyed up by the mellow tubas and euphoniums. He let the melody surround him, loosing himself in the music, not even noticing when the rest of the band joined in.

At the end of the song, the crowd applauded more wildly than before, and when he stood up for us bow, he saw his father in the front row, starting a starting ovation.

* * *

**A/N: This is fluff, right? Please tell me it's fluff...**


End file.
